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Committee Chair's Message

I am proud to lead the Los Angeles City Council’s efforts to revitalize the Los Angeles River. After serving for ten years on the staff of my predecessor in the 13th District—now Mayor Eric Garcetti—I know what our river means to people. I have spent countless hours at the river, talking to residents and visitors, experiencing the river’s seasonal moods, and enjoying its wildlife, trails, and places of rest.

I was involved from the very beginning in development of the City’s Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan and am committed to advancing its implementation as Chair of the Arts, Parks, and Los Angeles River Committee. We have made great progress in opening the river to the public with bike paths, parks, and trails throughout communities in the San Fernando Valley, Northeast Los Angeles, and Downtown LA. I am committed to every mile.

More and more, people are turning to the LA River, instead of neglecting it. For many Angelenos, the river is already a point of pride. The day is near when all will embrace the LA River as the treasured natural resource it is, and understand its vital place in the history of our city.

LA River revitalization is a pivotal effort in improving the livability of our great City. I, and my colleagues on the committee, know that Angelenos want and deserve connections to nature, open space, car-free mobility, inspiring public art, and safe places to play.

Our commitment is to find the best, most innovative ways to put these experiences in easy reach of all of our residents. We know that the river’s current condition—encased in concrete, with degraded ecological functions—presents significant challenges. This does not deter us. Our City and its partners have already met these obstacles with perseverance and ingenuity by creating fantastic projects of indelible local identity.

Through my Committee, the Los Angeles River will continue to find the respect and attention itdeserves. We will work together to better understand, involve more residents, find solutions, and build projects that achieve our vision of a river that welcomes all. We have high ambitions for our Los Angeles River and achieving our goals will not be easy. However, in working together, we can make anything happen. I invite you to help me make this possible.